Reviewed by Lexie CornerMay 1 2025
A world group of researchers from Sant’Anna College and Graz College of Expertise, below the course of Affiliate Professor Francesco Greco, has efficiently transformed the ink from a pink marker pen right into a graphene-based electrical circuit. This examine demonstrates the potential use of on a regular basis supplies in superior digital functions.
Electrical circuit created utilizing a easy marker and a laser beam. Picture Credit score: @ Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
Passing a laser beam over the ink transforms it right into a type of porous and conductive carbon known as ‘laser-induced graphene’ (LIG). Thus far, we believed that it was potential to acquire this LIG solely from specific plastic supplies and polymers, and this one way or the other restricted its functions. An ink or paint, however, can be utilized simply and anyplace to coat different objects. Additionally they symbolize an economically advantageous different.
Francesco Greco, Affiliate Professor, Bioengineering, Sant’Anna College of Superior Research
From Ink to… Graphene. The Function of the Dye Known as Eosin
A standard workplace provide—a pink marker like these used on whiteboards—was the sudden inspiration for a latest examine below the European challenge 5DNanoprinting. The important thing ingredient was eosin, a dye present in sure pink inks, identified for its excessive thermal stability and structural similarity to graphene.
Alexander Dallinger, a postdoctoral researcher on the College of Graz’s Institute of Stable State Physics, was the primary to note eosin’s uncommon conduct. He noticed that when uncovered to laser radiation, the dye responded in sudden methods, prompting additional investigation.
The preliminary discovery occurred by likelihood. I used to be attempting laser writing on different supplies, with out success: none of them had been reworked into conductive graphene. I had written on one of many samples its title with a pink marker to acknowledge it. By mistake (or luck?), the laser beam handed over the writing: proper at that time, I noticed a black hint seem.
Alexander Dallinger, Publish-Doc, Institute of Stable State Physics, College of Graz
Dallinger mentioned, “Intrigued, I instantly analyzed it: the hint was conductive and it was graphene! This led to many questions: What’s the marker ink manufactured from? Why does that marker work and others don’t? What’s the ‘secret ingredient’? These questions had been the start line for the entire examine and the discoveries that led to this publication.”
The “Paint & Scribe” Method: An Electrical Circuit Can Be Created On Any Floor
To start reworking the dye right into a functioning circuit, the analysis group utilized the pink ink onto a floor of their alternative, starting from paper to espresso cups and even eyeglasses. They then designed the specified digital circuit utilizing pc software program.
Subsequent, a laser system traced the digital design instantly onto the dyed floor. Upon laser publicity, the eosin dye underwent a chemical transformation, changing right into a conductive type of graphene.
“This method, known as ‘Paint & Scribe’, integrates a graphene-based electrical circuit on any floor, induced by a laser: paint an object, then cross the laser over it and also you get a circuit. It’s an progressive system contemplating that, till now, graphene-based electrical circuits had been solely obtained on polymeric precursors,” explains Greco.
Pisa-Firenze-Graz: The Innovation Triangle
Key contributions additionally got here from Rodorico Giorgi and Rachel Camerini—an Affiliate Professor and a Postdoctoral Fellow, respectively—on the College of Florence’s “Ugo Schiff” Division of Chemistry and the Heart for Colloid and Floor Science (CSGI).
Their experience in colour and pigment chemistry was important for analyzing the ink composition and figuring out which dyes had been liable for the graphene formation.
We work within the discipline of Cultural Heritage, learning the matter and this transformation. It’s shocking how data of the properties of natural dyes immediately seems to be the important thing to decoding a phenomenon by no means seen earlier than. You understand numerous issues, however you can not clarify every thing. Then someday, you set two items of a puzzle collectively and take a step ahead. That’s the great thing about science!
Rodorico Giorgi, Affiliate Professor, College of Florence
Doable Functions
Greco mentioned, “I consider that our examine is an instance of how scientific curiosity can unexpectedly result in sensible and applicative implications. Actually, this examine, apart from analyzing why just some dyes are appropriate for transformation into LIG, goals to suggest this technique for the belief of circuits and sensors on any floor. As a substitute of putting in circuits or sensors (usually heavy, costly, and hulking) on the objects to be sensorized, we will now consider ‘writing’ them instantly the place they’re wanted.”
“This might toughen functions in lots of sectors: printable electronics, biomedical sensors, robotics, automation, and environmental sensors. We’re already engaged on a few of these functions. We have now additionally began to check different dyes derived from pure supplies, with to the intention of making inexperienced electronics,” Francesco Greco concluded.
Journal Reference:
Dallinger, A., et al. (2025) Laser‐Induced Graphene from Business Inks and Dyes. Superior Science. doi.org/10.1002/advs.202412167.
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